Semiconductor package with conductive heat spreader

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor package that includes a semiconductor die and a heat spreader thermally coupled to the semiconductor and disposed at least partially within the molded housing of the package.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/715,226 filed Mar. 7,2007.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority to the of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/779,763, filed on Mar. 7, 2006,entitled Thermal Improvement on QFN Package, to which a claim ofpriority is hereby made and the disclosure of which is incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to semiconductor device packages.

A well known package arrangement is a Quad Flatpak No Lead (QFN)package. A QFN is a semiconductor package that includes a plurality ofpads disposed at the edges thereof, and in some variations a die pad.The pads and the die pad are exposed at the bottom of the package andadapted for surface mounting.

It is well known that a semiconductor die within a package, such as aQFN package, generates heat while operating. The heat so generated mustbe dissipated to avoid adverse effects on the operation of the die.

One known method for dissipating the generated heat is to thermallyconnect a heat sink or a heat spreader to the outside of the package.Such a method, however, increases the height of the package. Inaddition, in such an arrangement the thermal path between the die andthe heat sink or heat spreader includes the full thickness of thehousing of the package, which prevents the efficient transfer of heatfrom the die to the heat dissipating body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a semiconductor package according to the present invention, ametallic heat spreader is disposed within the housing of a package andis mechanically and thermally connected to the die directly. Thus, theincrease in the height of the package is avoided.

A semiconductor package according to the present invention includes aplurality of leads, a semiconductor die including a plurality of I/Oelectrodes on a first surface thereof, a conductive interconnect bodyinterposed between each I/O electrode and a respective lead, a metallicheat spreader thermally and mechanically coupled to a second surface ofthe semiconductor die opposite the first surface, a molded housingencapsulating the semiconductor die, and the conductive interconnectbodies, and at least part of the metallic head spreader.

According to one aspect of the present invention the metallic heatspreader is made from copper in order to absorb as much heat from thedie as possible.

According to another aspect of the present invention solder or anelectrically conductive polymer is used to couple the heat spreader tothe inactive second surface of the semiconductor die in order toefficiently transfer heat from the die to the heat spreader.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the invention which refers tothe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to the secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to the thirdembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to the fourthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to the fifthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to the sixthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to theseventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a package according to the eighthembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Referring to FIG. 1, a semiconductor package according to the firstembodiment of the present invention includes a lead frame that includesa plurality of leads 10, a semiconductor die 12 that includes aplurality of input/output (I/O) electrodes (not shown specifically) on afirst surface thereof, a conductive interconnect 14 interposed betweeneach I/O electrode and a respective lead 10, a metallic heat spreader 16thermally coupled to a second surface (opposite the first surface) ofsemiconductor die 12 with a thermally conductive adhesive body 18, and amolded housing 20 formed with mold compound molded over to encapsulateat least die 12, conductive interconnects 14, and at least portions ofleads 10. Note that in the first embodiment, metallic heat spreader 16is fully molded over by and thus encapsulated by molded housing 20.Furthermore, a package according to the first embodiment includes a diepad 22. Interconnects 14 are disposed between die pad 22 and firstsurface of die 12 whereby die 12 is further supported by die pad 22.

Preferably, interconnects 14 are solder bumps, but may be copper bumps,gold bumps, or pillar bumps. Further, preferably leads 10 are part of aQFN lead frame. Thus, a package according to the present inventionpreferably conforms to QFN standard. Moreover, because the secondsurface of die 12 is electrically inactive, solder or a conductive epoxymay be used (both efficient heat conductors) to couple heat spreader 16to the second surface of die 12. It should be noted that a thermallyconductive, but electrically non-conductive adhesive such as a thermalepoxy may be used as an adhesive body 18 without deviating from thepresent invention.

According to one aspect of the present invention, spreader 16 is formedwith copper. Thus, in the first embodiment (FIG. 1) a copper block orslug is used as a heat spreader 16.

Referring now to FIG. 2, in which like numerals identify like features,in a package according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention, heat spreader 16, which may be formed with copper, includes acopper slug body 16′ and a plurality of fins 16″.

Referring to FIG. 3, in which like numerals identify like features, in apackage according to the third embodiment heat spreader 16, which may beformed with copper, includes a first face 24 having a first lateraldimension and a second face 26 (opposite the first face 24) having asecond lateral dimension that is wider than the first lateral dimension.In the third embodiment, first face 24 is coupled to the second surfaceof die 12.

In the fourth embodiment, as depicted by FIG. 4, second face 26 of heatspreader 16 is coupled to the second surface of die 12. Note that in apackage according to the fourth embodiment first face 24 of heatspreader 16 is exposed through molded housing 20. To obtain an exposedfirst face 24 soft top molding may be employed. Alternatively, heatspreader 16 may be molded over with mold compound, and then exposed bygrinding away the mold compound residing atop heat spreader 16.

Referring now to FIG. 5, in which like numerals identify like features,a package according to the fifth embodiment of the present inventionincludes a compressible (i.e. compliant) copper heat spreader, whichincludes a copper slug body 28 having at least a first leg 30, and asecond leg 32 each extending from a respective side of slug body 28.Each leg 30, 32 extends laterally outside the outer boundary of die 12and includes an end that is disposed on a respective lead 10, wherebyheat spreader 16 is disposed over die 12 like a tent. Note that in apackage according to the fifth embodiment instead of an adhesive, copperslug 28 may be coupled to die 12 through an interposing body of moldcompound residing between slug 28 and the second surface of die 12.

Referring now to FIG. 6, in which like numerals identify like features,in a package according to the sixth embodiment, heat spreader 16 may becomprised of two saucer-shaped copper bodies 34, 36 each including a cupportion 34′, 36′ and a flange portion 34″, 36″ disposed at the openingof the cup portion 34′, 36′ thereof. Note that in the sixth embodimentthe interiors of the cup portion 34′, 36′ of saucer-shaped copper bodies34, 36 face one another, and flange portions 34″, 36″ thereof are incontact with one another, whereby the arrangement is renderedcompressible or compliant (as opposed to rigid).

Referring next to FIG. 7, in which like numerals identify like features,in a package according to the seventh embodiment, heat spreader 16 is acompressible saucer-shaped copper body which includes a cup portion 38,and a flange portion 40 at the opening of cup portion 38 thereof. Notethat flange portion 40 is exposed through molded housing 20.

Referring now to FIG. 8, in which like numerals identify like features,in a package according to the eighth embodiment of the presentinvention, die pad 22 may be omitted, while other features of theinvention may be retained. Thus, for example, as shown, a packageaccording to the first embodiment may have die pad 22 thereof omitted toobtain a package according to the eighth embodiment.

Although the present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modificationsand other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It ispreferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by thespecific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor package comprising: a lead framecomprising a plurality of leads; a semiconductor die that is supportedby said lead frame and is electrically connected to said plurality ofleads on a first surface of said semiconductor die; a compressible heatspreader that is thermally and mechanically coupled to a second surfaceof said semiconductor die; said compressible heat spreader comprising acup portion that is thermally and mechanically coupled to said secondsurface of said semiconductor die, whereby an interior of said cupportion faces away from said semiconductor die, said compressible heatspreader not coupled to said lead frame.
 2. The semiconductor package ofclaim 1, wherein said semiconductor die is supported by said pluralityof leads and by a die pad of said lead frame.
 3. The semiconductorpackage of claim 1, wherein said compressible heat spreader comprises asaucer-shaped conductive body.
 4. The semiconductor package of claim 1,wherein said compressible heat spreader is isolated from said pluralityof leads.
 5. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein a moldedhousing encapsulates at least portions of said semiconductor die, saidlead frame, and said compressible heat spreader.
 6. A semiconductorpackage comprising: a plurality of leads; a semiconductor dieelectrically connected to said plurality of leads on a first surface ofsaid semiconductor die; a heat spreader comprising a cup portion that isthermally and mechanically coupled to a second surface of saidsemiconductor die, whereby an interior of said cup portion faces awayfrom said semiconductor die, said heat spreader not coupled to saidplurality of leads.
 7. The semiconductor package of claim 6, whereinsaid heat spreader further comprises a flange disposed at an opening ofsaid cup portion.
 8. The semiconductor package of claim 6, wherein saidheat spreader further comprises a flange extending from and disposedaround an opening of said cup portion.
 9. The semiconductor package ofclaim 6, wherein said heat spreader is isolated from said plurality ofleads.
 10. The semiconductor package of claim 6, wherein said pluralityof leads are of a lead frame.
 11. The semiconductor package of claim 6,wherein said surface of said die is electrically inactive.